Jet propulsion system for aircraft



June 29, l1948. D, K WARNER 2,444,318

JET PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT Filed April 24, 1944 Patented June 29, 1948 d,

` 2,444,318 Y y mr ritorULsroN SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT Douglas K. Warner, Sarasota, Fla. ApplicationApril 24, 1944, serial No. 532,546

This invention relates to jet propulsion of aircraft and more particularly to the heating, and controlling the directional flow, and expansion,

of air compressed for the purposes of propelling aircraft.

The primary objects of my invention are: `irst, Y

to add heat to all or part of the air compressed for propulsion purposes in a manner to utilize that heat to maximum advantage, second to proeration, third to provide means for adding extreme quantities of heat at necessarily lower eili- -ciencies for short intervals in order to multiply the normal power of the craft during suchshort wvide that heat at minimum cost of steady op-i.

intervals, said heat being provided by burning?.

fuel in a large compression space, fourth releasing heated propulsion air thru `diusion nozzles in a downward rearward direction Vbeneath the plane, fifth to utilize the pressure of the air so released beneath the plane to blow` the plane-x away from a surface and permit it to skim a 4land runway and then a water surface while attaining the necessary velocity to permit eilicient higher ight by means of jet propulsion, and by so enormously extending the takeoff run to thereby permit flight with enormously heavier loads.

With these and other objects in View, myfinventon consists in the novel features herewith fully shown and described; and it further consists in an equally new form of aircraft body in order to better utilize this new form of propulsion.

In the accompanying drawing like numerals indicate like parts in Fig. 1 and its exhaust section enlargement Fig. 2. i

Figure 1 is a sectional view of-a side of hilcle at its center line.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the end ofthe engines exhaust pipe and the main diffusion nozzle.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen ,that this plane is similar to that in my applicationfor patent 512,209 with the exception that front rudders i are added at each upper side of the path to the pressure fan, these being free toswing from a rear joint inwardly are for the primary purpose of increasing the diffusion of `air as greater velocities are reached and the rudders are toed in to reduce the velocity of the air approaching the pressure fan, though they may also be used to guide the plane or to compensate for loss of propulsion on one side of the plane. These rudders may be Vertical or inwardly` inclined upwardly to more closely approach the form of the top portion of the fan opening The general form of the body` is as in the-.ap-

my Ve'- s claims. (01.244-23) `large pressure chamber. I'I. I5, and its surrounding pipe I6, are i normally `heated to a redheat by exhaust being carried :within the inner pipe at some. 12 pounds back 2` f plication 512,209. Two forward cockpits 5, one each side of the central air foil 2 of much deeper `thicker air foil shape to give a lift and minimum air resistance to these cockpits while at the same 'time affording sides to an air passage or space Ybeneath the said. central connecting airfoil 2. A flap V3 hinged beneath a notch 4 inthe lower `surface of airfoil 24is free to `move rapidly up and down over thesurface of waves as they pass thru said central passage between the sides of the cockpits 5. l f

An air deector 6, mountedon stationary airfoils or air straighteners 1', guides the inlet air to the fan blades 8, which blades are of much `greater length at their leading edge than at their trailing edge so thatthe velocity energy may be imparted to the air at its maximum density, rather thanbefore it reaches the blade, as must be the case where the blade is all the same length. .The top sector of air passes the stationary blades `SI, which straighten,` the fanswhirling slip stream, `deiecting it straight bacll: with increased propulsion efficiency, and this air is then speeded up more in the contracted throat Ill, of the semi- `circumferential passageI I, formed above the engine room l2. The pressure imparted to the air by the diiusion ahead `of the fan, and by the `fan action is thereby.. converted to maximum Vvelocity in a minimum of passage way inside the The engine exhaust pipe I5, shown enlarged in Fig. 2, is contracted at its outlet32to -converta relatively high pressure contained therein into velocity: energy, and the outlet `of the surround ing passage is likewise restricted to convert a much higher pressure of fuel vapor into velocity energy sufficient to penetrate all portions of a Both exhaust pipe pressure. .When additional power is required, fuel is admitted to the space between the two fpipes thru the piston controlled valve I8, from `under the fuel surface no `matter what position the plane may be in.

3 A diffuser nozzle 2| compresses 3%, approximately, of the air delivered from the fan for use in burning fuel in the fans engine 22. Preferably somewhat more than half the fans air is discharged above the aircraft and the balance remaining is discharged into the compression space i '1, below the aircraft, where its energy is augmented by all the waste heat of the engine, plus the velocityenergyof the exhaust, which is retained at any iidesiredgpressure "by imeans of, the contraction 'A'at'fthe end' of the fexhaust pipe.

With the above proportionate disposition of the air compressed by the fan which would be found when this fan developed 5#-,.pressure-bef ore:the plane starts to move and which would remain the same proportion when the faniisil-handling larger volumes of air with increased enginepower when a 500 M. P. H. air or plane speed giving an initial 5# ram pressure boosts the fanpressure to 12# gage. We nowgnd that we have compressed; to.y 1:2 ilbapressureinta large space-beneath the fplane, 15 times much fair fas bad'fbeen burned in the engine, :and @if .fue athen burn 14s 5 to i6? times fourwnermalislropulsive power at sa correspondingly' llower:efli'ciency due: to.' the; much flowe'n 'initial .L pressure. :Qfr course :the high :temperature resulting iWQuld vnettpermit this ,emergGIlGy fuelto bre-burned: for morethan 112 seconds,

`.pressed '.airls continually ispread 11 out lbelow --the y plane, this 'air at :rst itravelingeout bbelow and A-baclcwardly i atI an :angle llof 'labout l14:5 ildegrees. While-the.plane;:isfskimmingcoverlandflorfwater,

the :..air 2 (af-ter leaving these diffuser nozzie air- -foilsg 3) willf'moveforward underitheiplanef and .push-*flap Srforwardarid ddwnigainstithelsurface below. -fili/'hen ina r-wave Lor :other obstacle i. is fencountered .this napfrsesand: lets l-Lwave pass thruY the E :lower partzfof theicompression:chamber Vand.,smotheriflap Zrrises 'an'drlets it passi out-at thesterny withcutzxlistunbing `theft..stability.r ori the plane orjolting .-themas'sengers Compartment 22S L is :shawn :to @afford :room for j ay tail `.gunner Ato :be-comfortablyseatedwhile havingfaxlbrcad frange .betweenthe:twoitaildns-il which. form the tipsiof .rthe maintwinggwhich wing must .be .lat` theutailnin aur-plane' which originally takes soffron .airsccerrpressed ibelow gthepla-ne.

A. plate 28 ises'paced4below. the Jrearsof'irc'entral =airfoi1 2 in 'order thatilcompressed #airimaywbe carriedI forward u ins passage 29 iformed: between `this plate aandsaid airfoil) :iatzitimeswhenssuch i passage f would .be otherwseublocked by. g.;passing .'wave. This permits instant f reformationvrof 1.a v.pressure1conditionunder thetlforwarjdzpart Afof =the `plane Abefore fthe 'wavefhas .massed the :trailing edge of the r centraleairfoil: 2 aand: iti also permits ia partial pressure :condition liunder's'thefforward f cockpits permits visibility whenflandingaatii'fatl curves above inlet y"openingswhereby fuel may be injected into said jacket where it is vaporized and superheated and whereby the vapor thereof may be ejected into the gflow-of .air-from said fan at higher than fan air velocity and be ignited with said air by the flames from said exhaust conduit, an emergency fuel tank containing fuel under pressure and in com- `municationwith said jacket surrounding said con- 'duit, and a flexible inlet pipe in said tank con- .nectingwith said jacket and capable of being ac- !tuatedvbygravity whereby the entrance of said exible pipe is caused to remain below the surkface :oftheliquidfuel in said tank regardless of I the positionof said airplane.

2. Infan aircraft, a body having a diffuser passageiarranged to discharge beneath said aircraft, -an engine in said body and a fan driven by said vengineandarranged to discharge air, means arranged to convey a portion of the discharge air from the fanintosaid diffuser passage and to convey the remainder of the air discharged from the fan atits upper portion at high velocity rearwardly above said body, a conduit leading from said engineand extending intosaid diffuser pas- Lsageforfdirecting exhaust gases from said engine into said diffuser passage in the same direction as thatof the fan discharge.

.f3..ln an aircraft, a body having a diffuser passageyan engine, a fan 'driven by said engine and arranged vto discharge into said passage and -thence.beneath said aircraft, a conduit leading --from said engine and extending into said diffuser passage'for directing engine exhaust Agases into sadpassagata jacket surrounding said conduit terminating at the end of said conduit in a contracted opening surrounding the end of said conl.duita fueltankmaintained under pressure and -apipe and valve connecting said tank with said jacket whereby fuel may be admitted to said Jacket for a fewseconds during takeoi or combat and whereby said fuel under pressure will be vaporized and preheated'. by-,said exhaust conduit -and whereby said fuel `will be ignited with the fan compressed air in said diffuser by thelames `issuing from said conduit.

14..'An aircraft comprising a body,.an engine in :said'body, a fan'mounted forwardly of saidy body and in'. drivenengagement `with said engine, said yfan having blades extending above. and below the 'front end of said body, said fan being arranged to :discharge arrearwardly, a cowling mounted --abovelsaidfam the rear portion of'said Cowling being arranged to form, in conjunction withthe top-surface ofcsaid body, Va viirst dischargezpassag-e :extending rearwardly from said fan: above said `body, `means arranged to form, in conjunction -swlth' the bottom surfaceof said fbody, a second .discharge passage extending rearwardly and Ivdownwardly from Vsaid-fan below'said bodygsaid .,rstidischarge. passage decreasing rearwardly in `crosse-sectional.area, said second passage increas- `ngfrearwardly'. incross-sectionalarea,` and means arranged to form, in conjunction with the front portion of said cowling, an air supply passage extending forwardly from said fan blades for supplying air thereto and having an air intake opening at its front end, said air supply passage increasing rearwardly in cross-sectional area, whereby the air pressure is increased and the air Velocity reduced in the air supply passage, the air pressure and velocity are increased at the fan blades, the air velocity is increased in said rst discharge passage, and the air pressure is increased in said second discharge passage.

5. The structure of claim 4, a conduit leading from said engine to said second discharge passage and discharging engine exhaust rearwardly in the direction of air flow from said fan in said passage.

6. The structure of claim 4 and vertical rudders extended forwardly of said fan at each side of and ahead of said fan cowling and means for moving inwardly the forward extremities of said rudders when the aircraft is moving at high speed, whereby air entering beneath said cowling and between said ru-dders may be diffused to higher pressure and lower velocity at said fan.

7. The structure `of claim 4, a conduit from said engine to said second passage carrying exhaust gases from said engine to said passage, a second conduit enclosing said :first conduit and a reserve fuel storage communicating therewith and a Valve therebetween, means for opening said valve in emergency or at takeoff whereby fuel may be ma-de to contact said first conduit and be not only vaporized but also superheated thereby and means for releasing the fuel Vapor over the end of said rst conduit whereby it may be ignited by exhaust flame and burned with fan compressed air in said second passage.

8. The structure of claim 3, and vanes in said diffuser passage arranged to straighten out the twirling air ow behind said fan, the terminal portions of said conduit and said jacket being disposed in one of said vanes and discharging at the trailing edge thereof.

DOUGLAS K. WARNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,003,364 Langston Sept. 12, 1911 1,307,135 Lake June 17, 1919 1,375,601 Morize Apr. 19, 1921 1,382,535 Offen June 21, 1921 1,389,797 Thompson Sept. 6, 1921 1,605,484 Thompson et al Nov. 2, 1926 1,871,055 Hasbrouk Aug. 9, 1932 1,986,064 Leray Jan. 1, 1935 2,024,274 Campin-i Dec. 17, 1935 2,072,029 Crowe Feb. 23, 1937 2,348,106 Brian May 2, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 818,703 France Jan. 21, 1937 449,148 Great Brit-ain Mar. 15, 1935 OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 367,666, Anxionnaz et al. (A. P. CJ, published May 25, 1943. 

